Improvement in breech-loading- fire-arms



R. s. LAWRENCE.

Breech Loading Fire Arm.

Patented April 6, 1869.

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e e g Ree i RICHARD S. LAWRENCE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHARPS RIFLE. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF THE SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 88,645, dated A ril 6, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRHECH -LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

The schedule referred to in these Letters Patentand making part of the same.

To all .whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD S.'LAWRENGE of Hartford, in the county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire-arms, having more particular reference to the class of fire-arms known as .Sharps rifles, but which improvements, (either in whole or in part,) are applicable to other description of fire-arms.

The invention consists in the method of operating the extractor; the form and method of operating the detonator, (or firing-bo1t;, in applying afrietion-roll to the lever; in forming the movable breech-block with a portion of the front side, or face, of a wedgeshape; and in forming the mortise for the movable breech-block in the receiver on an angle, other than a right angle with the bore of the barrel, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying plate of drawings- Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section through the line xx of fig. 3, showing the breechblock drawn down for the extraction of the cartridgeshell.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, showing the receiverclosed by the breech-block, as when the piece has been just discharged.

Figure 3 is a top view of a longitudinal section, embracing the part of the gun to which my invention applies, giving a view of the top of the movable breechblock, extractor, and detonator.

Figure 4 is a'vertical cross-sectionof fig. 1, through the line y 3 giving a back view of the breech-block, detonator, and extractor, and also the base of the cartndge-shell in position.

Figure 5 is a view of the reverse orface side of the breech-block.

Figure 6 represents two views, (a side and edge view) of the extractor.

0 'is the movable breech-block.

D is the'lever, by which the breech-block is operated, it being attachedto the breech-block by the connecting-bar E.

F is the lever-spring,

G is theextractor.

H is the detonator, or firing-bolt.

In carrying out my invention, I form the mortise through the receiver, at an angle, (diifering from a right angle,) with the base of the barrel, and I form a portion of the face or front side of the movable breech-block C of a wedge-shape, which wedge, or inclined portion C, comes in contact with the end of the barrel, or base of the cartridge-shell, whenv it is thrown. up ready for firing.

When in this position, this wedge, or inclined portion C stands perpendicular to or at right angles with the bore of the barrel, as seen in fig. 2.

By making the mortise somewhat inclining back from the top, as represented, the breech-block, when thrown down fiJr inserting the cartridge, will recede from the end of the barrel, or shell, while the inclined front side will workat aright angle with the bore of the barrel.

This feature is of great importance in loading the piece, as variations in the thickness of the cartridgeshell'base will not affect the-movement of the breechblock, but the shell will be forced in and out of the way by the inclined surface.

The same result is produced should the shell not be pushed entirely home in loading, so that obstructions which would materially interfere with the proper working of the ordinary breech-block are rendered perfectly harmless by this arrangement.

It will be seen that the movable breech-block is relieved from the base of the cartridge-shell on its downward movement, and also prevented from coming in contact with the shell with any considerable friction, before it is closed.

The detonator, or firing-bolt, seenin figs. 7 and 8, operates in a recess in the breech-block, and is limited in its back movement by a stop-screw, a. On its outer forward end, there is a cam, 'r, which works in a nick,

or recess, S, (see fig. 5,) in the receiver, only when the movable breech-block is in position for discharging the piece. 7

The detonator is constructed with thiscam for the purpose of preventing the point i, which explodes the cartridge, from coming in contact with the cartridgesh ell before the breech-block is in position for discharging, also for relieving the point'i from the cartridgeshell as the breech-block is moved down, as the cam S works out the recess, or nick in the receiver, and throws the point back.

The lever D is provided with afriction-roll, n, which works upon'the lever-spring F.

The lever is so constructed withregard to its conneeti'ons with the movable breech-block, that byits forward movement, the breech-block is drawn down.

As the roll on the lever passes the centre on the lever-spring, the lever is thrown forward past the position -for loading. This movement causes the shoulder, or projectionm, in the-extractor channel j in breechblock, to strike the arm,;or projection 0, on the ex'e tractor G, which gives the upper portion of the e1;- tractor a sudden back' movement.

When the extractor is in place with the cartridge inserted, the lip 12 sets into a nick, or recess, q, in the end of the barrel, as seen in fig. 1, and forward of the flange on the base of the cartridge-shell, so that the hackthrow produced by the downward movement .of the breech-block, extracts the shell, and throws ,it fi om the gun. s

The action of the lever-spring on the roll and onthe end of the lever, causes the lever, breech-block, and

extractor to return to the proper position for reloadtion'o, and the shoulder 11, formed in the channel j of the breech-block, as herein shown and described.

2; The detonator H with its ram 1', connected with the breech-block, and operating therewith, and with the receiver, substantially as and forthe purpose shown and described. RICHARD S. LAWRENCE. Witnesses:

SAMUEL F. Hones, ROGER Wnnrins. 

